1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of preparing a sugar-like flavorous component by specific treatment using molasses as starting material and to a method of preparing a perfumery composition or a beverage by adding the resulting sugar-like flavorous component.
2. Description of the Related Art
With regard to the flavor of molasses, the flavorous component is conventionally prepared by extraction using organic solvents. The resulting extract has a caramel-like form, an intensive color and a feature of a distinguished smell. No devised method of utilizing the flavorous component of the molasses has been found.
The separation of flavorous substances by using a spinning cone column (hereinafter simply referred to as xe2x80x9cSCCxe2x80x9d) used in the process of the present invention and mass-transfer equipment are explained in xe2x80x9c1st Conference of Food Engineering, 1991, AlChE, Chicago, Ill.xe2x80x9d. Also, it is disclosed in the specification of WO90/02493 that vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, apples and pears are processed using the SCC to obtain a high viscosity component having a low flavor. There are detailed descriptions concerning the design of a column of the SCC in xe2x80x9cI. Chem. E. Symp. Series, A128, 167-179, 1992xe2x80x9d. The SCC is also used in a process of the recovery of volatile components such as flavors wherein a volatile component (ethanol) is recovered at lower temperatures from a culture solution of fermented yeast (see Process Biochemistry, Vol. 31, No. 7, pp.651-658, 1995).
A spinning cone column and a method of removing volatile components from a solution are disclosed in JP-B-7-22646. There is a report that in the recovery of the flavorous components of apples and red berry fruits, the level of the content of free and combined sulfurous acid is lowered to 5 ppm or less (Food and Container, Vol. 39, No. 7, pp.406-408, 1988). In the recovery of flavorous components in Flavourtech (see the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,945), high recovery rates are obtained in the processing of beer flavors, apples, oranges, grapes, apricots or strawberries flavors.
When flavorous components are extracted using an organic solvent like in the conventional method, even a dye of molasses is extracted and contained in the extract, which eventually exhibits a caramel-like color. Because of this unacceptable caramel-like color, the extract is only used for products which demand no special care to the color. Also the conventional method has the problem that water-soluble low molecular weight components can be extracted only insufficiently. The present invention provides a method of the preparation of an isolated sugar-like flavorous component which is added to beverages or flavorous compositions to impart a mellow feeling and natural flavor to the compound products and produces a sensible flavor even if it is diluted thousands times.
The inventors of the present invention have made earnest studies to solve the aforementioned problems and, as a result, not only a recovery flavor is simply recovered but also a flavorous component which solves the above problem can be obtained by making good use of the aforementioned SCC. Specifically, 1.5 to 3 parts by weight of ion exchange water and 0.02 to 0.05 parts by weight of ethanol are added to 1 part by weight of molasses, which is dissolved under heat to regulate the viscosity, in a feed tank and these components are thoroughly mixed and dissolved with stirring. The resulting solution is introduced into the spinning cone column (SCC) and treated for 1 to 3 minutes in the following condition: the temperature in a column: 40 to 60xc2x0 C., strip rate: 0.5 to 7% and the degree of pressure reduction: 70 to 100 kPa, whereby the objective sugar-like flavorous component can be prepared.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided:
(1) a method of the preparation of a sugar-like flavorous component, the method comprising steps of;
adding 1.5 to 3 parts by weight of ion exchange water and 0.02 to 0.05 parts by weight of ethanol to 1 part by weight of molasses in a feed tank;
mixing and dissolving these components thoroughly with stirring; and
introducing the resulting solution into a spinning cone column (SCC) to treat the solution in the following condition: the temperature in a column: 40 to 60xc2x0 C., strip rate: 0.5 to 7% and the degree of pressure reduction: 70 to 100 kPa.
(2) In a method of the preparation of a sugar-like flavorous component according to the invention (1), preferably the strip rate is 0.5 to 3% and the sugar-like flavor is highly refined sugar-like flavor.
(3) In a method of the preparation of a sugar-like flavorous component according to the invention (1), preferably the strip rate is 3 to 7% and the sugar-like flavor is unrefined sugar-like flavor.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided:
(4) a method of the preparation of a flavorous composition, the method comprising adding the sugar-like flavor component obtained by the method as claimed in any one of the above (1) to (3) to a perfumery in an amount of 5 to 30% by weight.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided:
(5) a method of the preparation of a beverage, the method comprising adding the sugar-like flavor component obtained by the method as claimed in any one of the above (1) to (3) to a beverage in an amount of 0.01 to 5% by weight.